Posted: Sun Mar 3, 2024 1:16pm
I arrived in Santander ferry port in January 2024 with a transit sized van of used bits of furniture and personal items. We decided to take a van load of stuff in January before we make our permanent move in our car at the end of April.
The main reason for packing a van was because I wanted to take my vinyl records, cd's and hi-fi system with me and therefore we then filled the remaining space in the van by packing a load of what could be useful things to take (rather than disposing of them in the UK) things like some gardening equipment, used garden furniture, my used pressure washer, step ladders, used plastic storage unit, a couple of used guitars and various other used musical instruments, numerous books, my 10 year old push bike, a unit for holding my hi-fi, etc. and numerous items of clothing and footwear, some towels and bedding, a few bits of cooking utensils/ dishes etc. -nothing that could be sold for more than a few pounds but i still considered to be useful to me. Might as well make use of having the van and then I also get to keep some things that I like and it'd save me buying things when I got there.
I thought I only had to pay tax for new items or items less than 6 months old, in particular electrical products. I had nothing less than 6 months old except some clothes footwear and tennis rackets. We had none of the type of items which I thought qualified to pay tax in in he van.
Every van in that came off the ferry was pulled over and the back of the van GLANCED a look inside, likewise for cars that seemed well loaded or had roof boxes on them.
We were sent to the customs office and told to fill out a form saying what was in our van.
I listed what I could remember, stating various vinyl records and cd's (there will be well over 1000 individual items) and then, as I was listing my belongings the customs officer took the form from me and using correction fluid changed the item quantity number telling me to write 50ish and i asked him about what to write for value of the belongings and he said "hmmm, the cost to replace". In truth much wouldn't be replaced so I 'under estimated' I wrote £1800. Again the customs officer changed the figure and said he suggested I write under €1499! I did this.
I went back to he van and waited. The paperwork was completed by he customs officer and I was asked to go back to the office to pay. I was charged €500!.... At no point did the van contents get PROPERLY checked. I thought after I filled out my form it would be properly searched hence I tried to be accurate about what was actually nin the van but it was not even glanced in again! They just took my word for what was in it!
I have since questioned my decision of how important my records, cd's and hi-fi unit actually are to me. The answer is that I DO want to have them and since they were possibly too heavy to go in my car, then either a removal company or van was my options and since the quotes i received from various removal companies worked out at much the same price as taking a van, that's why i opted to take the van.
I have since tried again to find out what actually needs to be declared at customs and why I was charged what seems a lot for a van if old, used, 2nd hand items but still all I can find is about electrical items and having receipts for items under 6 months old.
I am making my permanent move at the end of April 2024 and will be filling my estate car, it will also have a roof box on it. Can anyone give me any advice about exactly how customs charge or what form to fill out in advance (this will save their extortionate admin fee €150) or any other helpful info?
Much appreciated,
DSki.